thepicketfencecliche | regency } of lost wives and beserkers

Peter: [and he's going to smell the blood and snarl a bit, then order the knights to spread out and tell him what they find]

Kate: [there are indents where Kate's footprints would have been, with the scent of blood following it, and a much larger indent where she collapsed, but the trail doesn't end there. Two other scents arrive, not familiar to Peter but the what of what they are is clear enough - beserkers]

Peter: [he kneels down and tries to push the snow away to try and find the base of the indents. He doesn't like this at all]

Kate: [the deeper he goes, the more he can see the distinctive clawed feet of the beserkers, and the path leads away from the clearing. after that there's no sign of Kate's footprints, however, or her.]

Peter: [stands up, and regathers the knights. He sends one to ride to the Argents and fetch Chris, another back to the Hale manor to inform Laura of what was happening, and then he will take the other two to get the scent of these new creatures and to follow it, intending only to survey the situation and wait for any backup that may come]

Kate: [the trail will lead them to a large cave in the middle of the woods. The beserkers are alternating standing guard at the mouth of the cave, and there's a glow of a fire further inside the cave but not enough to see what's in there]

Peter: [and he will stay down wind, watching and trying to get an idea on what was happening and routines before he pulls back and debates with the knights and wait to see if he is going to get any reinforcements]

Kate: [Chris will send knights if he's worried about his sister - Allison will insist on it - but they're humans, so they don't have the strength and speed to be a real match for the beserkers. Laura is a few days away, however, so the pack isn't going to be there in time if he wants to make a move now]

Peter: [he will have the humans guard the perimeter with word to retreat for more reinforcements from the Hales if needed, and he and the wolf knights will approach to try and see if these creatures have any intelligence]

Kate: [the second the beserker catches his scent, the low, rattling warning growl fills the air, but it doesn't attack. Not yet. It just stares Peter down, almost as though it's trying to determine what he's after]

Peter: [he stands up taller, motioning for the knights to give him space] I'm not here to harm you. I'm looking for my wife.

Kate: [the beserker doesn't move, another warning growl at Peter as he comes closer. The other beserker is coming to join him, but there's the shuffle of someone else moving within the cave]

Peter: I promise you, I just want to know if you have seen her, as I believe her to be hurt.

Kate: [the second beserker appears, and from within the cave, there's the voice Peter was looking for] Peter?

Peter: [his head lifts] Kate! Are these creatures harming you?

Kate: No. [there's a few more shuffling footsteps and her face appears behind their shoulders. One hand lands on one of the beserkers and it turns to face her. There's a nasty looking gash in her side, bandaged with shreds of her dress, but otherwise she's fine] No, it's fine. They saved me.

Peter: [he sighs in relief] Then I owe them my thanks. [that gash worries him] Will they attack me if I come to you?

Kate: [shakes her head, and she looks back at the one she's leaning on] Stay here. [after that she will start to stumble forward towards her husband]

Peter: [and he will tell the knights to stay and he will rush forward, wrapping his arms around her carefully and just pulling her close, holding her. He had been worried]

Kate: [sinks into his hold, though it's more collapsing into him and burying her face against his shoulder. The beserkers stay where they are, however, watching them carefully]

Peter: [he will take in her scent, making sure that beyond the gash she was okay, and then pulled back to look at said gash] What happened to you?

Kate: [she's shivering in his arms, because she's also freezing, and she shakes her head against his shoulder] I just want to go home.

Peter: [he will take off his cloak and will wrap it around her] Your family home is closer. We can take you there and get your injuries looked at.

Kate: [she shakes her head again as she pulls the cloak around her] No! I'll be fine.

Peter: [he was confused at that, but he nodded] Alright. Come on, let's go home then.

Kate: [nods and glances back to the beserkers] Thank you. [they don't respond, just stare back at her, but there's enough of an acknowledgement there that they can go]

Peter: Yes, Thank you. [and he will keep his arm around his wife as he guides her back to where the knights are waiting]

Kate: [and onto the horses they get and away they go! They probably have to stop at an inn halfway there where Kate will actually give Peter the opportunity to check her wounds and make sure she actually is okay]

Peter: [yes, having sent the human knights home] These are deep.

Kate: [flinches when he hits a sore spot before shaking her head] I've had worse.

Peter: How did you come by these?

Kate: I was ambushed in the woods.

Peter: Do you remember the faces of the ones who attacked you?

Kate: [sets her jaw and glances away which means yes]

Peter: I'm not going to like this answer, am I?

Kate: [glances back to him] Then perhaps you shouldn't ask.

Peter: Should I know?

Kate: [looks down at her hands because he should know. There was a reason for it, but it's hard to reconcile the fact that your own blood considered you expendable enough to use to start a war. Finally, quietly:] They were Daniel's men.

Peter: [there had been two fears. One being from the other alphas in the area, and the other being Daniel. He sighed, and went to rub his wife's back] On his orders?

Kate: I can't imagine they would have otherwise. [she leans back into his hand unconsciously, still not looking him in the eye] They were wearing masks, but I knew their voices. And the disguises certainly weren't for my benefit, as they intended to kill me. It wouldn't matter if I recognized them or not - the dead can't bear witness against their murderers.

Peter: And those things? They came to save you?

Kate: [that makes her look up and she nods] They're called beserkers. We knew they were in the woods but ... they're like poking at a bear. You don't do it if you intend to live to see the next day. But for some reason, when the men left me there to die, they ... made sure I didn't.

Peter: Perhaps they know someone of worth when they see her and felt drawn to you.

Kate: [she snorts, because she is rarely ever seen as something of worth, and then shrugs] They're not exactly the most verbal. I doubt we'll ever know.

Peter: Well, I am grateful for their assistance. [which he is for many reasons]

Kate: [she nods, before exhaling slowly] He's trying to start a war.

Peter: Which will put your family in the middle of it.

Kate: His family is the one he wants fighting. [she slumps slightly] He kills me, far enough away from both our properties that neither can truly claim it was the other. But it wasn't them, so who else can it be?

Peter: I think my family would be hard pressed to believe any of us would have killed you. We would have repercussions from that you would be able to see.

Kate: Maybe. So you would blame the Argents, and my family lost faith in my virtue long ago, so that excuse wouldn't be so easily bought. Especially since nothing can change the color of your niece's eyes.

Peter: I would doubt your brother Christopher would do so, or your niece, or anyone under their command. They cherish you.

Kate: They don't have as much faith in Chris as you think. And a lot of them simply see Allison as another me waiting to happen. Most of them are loyal to Chris out of a lack of an alternative. They were loyal to my father.

Peter: What then do you think we should do?

Kate: I don't know. Right now, I just want to get home and ... recover.

Peter: Well, let us rest for the night, and we will ride hard for home in the morning.

Kate: [she nods] I'm sorry. [for being the thing that's putting him in this mess]

Peter: Don't be. You did not intend for this to happen. I just wish I could have protected you from it.

Kate: [sighs and shrugs. she's still alive, to her that's the part that matters]

Peter: Come here. [he will sit on the bed, opening his arms to her]

Kate: [she hesitates for a moment, before doing as requested, shifting so that she can curl into him]

Peter: [and he's just going to hold her, his fingers stroking her back gently and he kisses her forehead] Get some rest. [one hand goes to take hers, and he looks to see if there is any pain he can pull from her to make her feel better]

Kate: [oh, there's plenty. Acting like she was barely feeling anything is more a survival instinct than anything else, but when Peter touches her, he can feel the brunt of it, physical and emotional. But she won't say anything otherwise, just close her eyes and all but pass out against his shoulder]

Peter: [and he's going to take as much as he can, letting her get some rest. But in the back of his mind he's evaluating the situation and what is going to be needed to protect his family and - if needed - Chris and Allison Argent and their loyal servants and knights]

Kate: [will be more help once she's recovered and the shock has worn off. right now she's too emotional to be of any use and she knows it.]

Peter: [she married the diplomat. Let him worry about it for now. Just rest and heal, wife]

Kate: [which she will do. and once she's done, she will come full circle to being pissed]